QUEEN'S GAMBIT: RISE OF VAISHALI

IMMEDIATELY after D Gukesh became the youngest challenger to the World Championship throne in Toronto in April 2024, Garry Kasparov remarked it as an ‘Indian earthquake in Toronto’.

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

One of the greatest GMs of all time continued: “The ‘children’ of Vishy Anand are on the loose”.

Almost two years since Gukesh’s win in Toronto catapulted him on to the world stage, another success story was etched in the sands of time, this time in the European resort town of Paphos in Cyprus. For at least the last hour of R Vaishali’s last round match against Kateryna Lagno, she was on her way to becoming the second Indian woman to advance to the women’s World Championship match. As soon as Lagno decided to resign in a hopeless position, the Chennai GM was lost for words.

A 15-year-old journey had reached its most significant pitstop. After winning the most important match of her career yet, the 24-year-old, who was first put in chess classes as a six-year-old, said ‘this was a result of all the hard work’.

They say that it takes a village to raise a champion. In Vaishali’s case, it’s true. Her parents have sacrificed a lot. Brother R Praggnanandhaa has been a pillar of support. RB Ramesh and wife, Aarthie, to the outside world, are coaches. For Vaishali, they have been part family members, part friends, part mentors and part counselors. A lot of young GMs -- from R Pranesh who travelled to Cyprus to be part of her team of seconds ~ to the likes of Adhiban Baskaran and Karthikeyan Murali made themselves available whenever Vaishali approached them for help.